Your vehicle report
2002 Subaru WRX
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 427
- Received Aug 2001 to Oct 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline171 complaints · 40% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up49 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Head gasket leaks coolant into engine14 complaints · 3.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #09V468000Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 impreza wrx vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of south dakota, nebraska, north dakota, minnesota, idaho, iowa, montana, colorado, wisconsin, new york, wyoming, michigan, alaska, new hampshire, vermont, and maine. During cold starts, typically under extremely cold temperatures, fuel leaks in the fuel delivery line could occur where the line connects with a rubber hose.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 17 crashes, 2 fires, 13 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 15 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Automatic emergency braking applies without reason
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 57 |
| 2004 | 148 |
| 2005 | 65 |
| 2006 | 19 |
| 2007 | 47 |
| 2008 | 27 |
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 427 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 171 | 40% | – | NHTSA recall #09V468000 |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 49 | 11% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 14 | 3.3% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 13 | 3.0% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 11 | 2.6% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 8 | 1.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 8 | 1.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 1.4% | – | |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 6 | 1.4% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 6 | 1.4% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Manual clutch wears out or fails early | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 0.7% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #09V468000December 4, 20095,724 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 impreza Wrx vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of south dakota, nebraska, north dakota, minnesota, idaho, iowa, montana, colorado, wisconsin, new york, wyoming, michigan, alaska, new hampshire, vermont, and maine. During cold starts, typically under extremely cold temperatures, fuel leaks in the fuel delivery line could occur where the line connects with a rubber hose.
Fuel leaks, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel line free of charge. The recall began on december 31, 2009. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2002 Subaru WRX.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN